The introduction of a $1.6 million transfer balance cap for superannuation will take effect from 1 July 2017 which is likely to impact fund members who collectively with their spouse exceed $1.6 million in super. When an individual with a super account dies, the trustee of the super fund will generally pay the deceased’s remaining…
From 1 July 2017, many of the 2016 Federal Budget super reforms will take place, including the reduction of both the annual concessional and non-concessional contribution caps. Concessional contributions Concessional contributions include employer contributions and salary sacrifice amounts. Personal contributions claimed as a personal super contribution deduction also count as concessional contributions. The concessional (pre-tax)…
Taking out insurance through a super fund can be a great option for some members, but it does also come with some pitfalls. Most super funds provide their members with insurance options and an option to increase, decrease or cancel your default insurance cover. There are many benefits of taking out insurance through super, which…
The ATO has provided business owners with further guidance on the deductibility of website costs in a recent Taxation Ruling. The Tax Office considers a commercial website as a website which is used in the course of a business, irrespective of whether it is used directly to produce income. This does not include software provided…
Pre-retirees can take advantage of a range of strategies to boost their nest egg. Here are three popular ways to top up your retirement savings: Maximise contributions Take advantage of the concessional (pre-tax) and non-concessional (after-tax) contributions by contributing as much as you can afford before reaching the caps. From 1 July 2017, the annual…
The Federal Court has recently agreed that ride-sourcing is taxi travel. For GST purposes, the word taxi means a car (vehicle) made available for public hire that is used to transport passengers for fares. State and territory laws regulating transportation of passengers contain specific definitions of the term taxi. A vehicle can be considered a…
The reforms to superannuation made in the 2016 Federal Budget are on their way with most of the changes commencing from 1 July 2017. Some of the changes to take place from 1 July 2017 onwards will include: Lowering the concessional and non-concessional contribution caps The cap on concessional (before-tax) contributions will be decreased from…
Fuel tax credit rates increased on 1 February 2017. These rates are indexed twice a year, in February and August, in line with the consumer price index (CPI). The rates vary depending on when you acquire the fuel, what fuel you use and the activity you use it for. Rates may also change for fuel…
Tighter superannuation rules will apply from 1 July 2017 as part of the super reforms announced in last year’s Federal Budget. The new rules include the introduction of a $1.6 million super balance cap for after-tax contributions; a maximum of up to $25,000 for concessional contributions; and the removal of the current “bring-forward” rule allowing…
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a ruling that clarifies the circumstances in which a deduction for bad debts is allowable. To obtain a bad debt deduction under section 63 of the Act, a debt must exist before it can be written off as bad. A debt exists for the purposes of section 63…